Nicola’s journey as a fighter pilot in the German armed forces spanned over a decade. As one of only three women in the air force to fly the Eurofighter, she also spent several years training young pilots in the USA and most recently held the rank of major.
After her service in the German army, Nicola transitioned to advising large corporations at McKinsey & Co. and handled a few emergencies as an emergency medical technician. She then moved into space project management within the aviation industry.
Now a “Spiegel” bestseller author, Nicola is a highly sought-after speaker and advisor for leadership training, team-building, and crisis competence centers.
Her expertise in crisis management and leadership extends beyond aeronautical research. She lectures in emergency and crisis management while pursuing a doctorate in space science. Nicola is also training to become an air rescue helicopter pilot with ADAC Luftrettung. The transition from jet pilot to helicopter pilot illustrates her relentless commitment and adaptability in taking on new challenges and roles.
In her personal life, Nicola is a mother of a young daughter. Her first book, “The Sky Is No Limit,” was published in October 2024. Nicola’s passions include flying, space, and adventure. After being a finalist in the “Die Astronautin” initiative in 2017, she successfully navigated the ESA selection process again in 2022, outcompeting over 22,500 applicants to join the astronaut reserve.
In her keynote speeches on leadership and teamwork, risk and crisis, empowerment, and resilience, Nicola engages her audience with entertaining, informative, and humorous insights on achieving goals despite obstacles and her journey to becoming a fighter jet pilot despite her small stature.
Nicola’s journey as a fighter pilot in the German armed forces spanned over a decade. As one of only three women in the air force to fly the Eurofighter, she also spent several years training young pilots in the USA and most recently held the rank of major.
After her service in the German army, Nicola transitioned to advising large corporations at McKinsey & Co. and handled a few emergencies as an emergency medical technician. She then moved into space project management within the aviation industry.
Now a “Spiegel” bestseller author, Nicola is a highly sought-after speaker and advisor for leadership training, team-building, and crisis competence centers.
Her expertise in crisis management and leadership extends beyond aeronautical research. She lectures in emergency and crisis management while pursuing a doctorate in space science. Nicola is also training to become an air rescue helicopter pilot with ADAC Luftrettung. The transition from jet pilot to helicopter pilot illustrates her relentless commitment and adaptability in taking on new challenges and roles.
In her personal life, Nicola is a mother of a young daughter. Her first book, “The Sky Is No Limit,” was published in October 2024. Nicola’s passions include flying, space, and adventure. After being a finalist in the “Die Astronautin” initiative in 2017, she successfully navigated the ESA selection process again in 2022, outcompeting over 22,500 applicants to join the astronaut reserve.
In her keynote speeches on leadership and teamwork, risk and crisis, empowerment, and resilience, Nicola engages her audience with entertaining, informative, and humorous insights on achieving goals despite obstacles and her journey to becoming a fighter jet pilot despite her small stature.
